ADVANCED THE LOCALSMIXOLOGY BARTENDER DRINK SUBMISSION IN HISTORY
Shaunna McCarthy
Drumbar, Chicago, Illinois By Leslie Chatman
This fortuitous meeting led Shaunna to a bartending gig at The Duck, where Carmine, her first mentor, instilled in her a tireless work ethic. As she explains, he showed her “how to really move my ass during a busy shift. This man was an ‘if you have time to lean, you have time to clean’ kind of guy.” For the next 17 years, Shaunna worked in locales as disparate as sports bars, craft cocktail spots, and nightclubs. Her move to New York was a milestone in her career. “That city has my heart,” she says. “Never will I forget the lessons I learned or the people that helped me along the way. The United States Bartenders’ Guild was a huge part of my professional growth and success.” From New York, she then headed to Chicago, where she became part of the team at The Aviary, which, she says, “redefined what service and hospitality meant for me.” Still in Chicago, McCarthy is now behind the stick at Raffaello Hotel’s Drumbar, which offers a curated selection of whiskeys and seasonal cocktails. When creating new recipes, she says, “Oftentimes, I am inspired to make drinks based off what people don’t like in drinks. Give the spirits a chance, and you never know what new flavors may be just around the corner waiting to surprise you. A good drink can be a whole new experience.” McCarthy’s sense of hospitality can be seen in her willingness to teach customers how to make their favorite drinks and ingredients at home. At the bar, she will often have the guests choose their ingredients and stir their own drinks. Of this, she says that she likes to “engage them in the process and make the drink a real conversation piece.” Her generosity with her craft reflects her love of the ever-evolving bar culture and the sense of openness among her colleagues, each helping make the other better. For McCarthy, the quality of the drinks is as essential as the camaraderie she feels with her guests and fellow bartenders.
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CHILLED MAGAZINE
Photo by Richard Shilkus
Back in 2000, Shaunna McCarthy was down to her last dollar, living in Boca Raton and going to school for photography. Driving past a busy bar called The Duck, she stopped in and asked if they needed a barback. “A giant who seemed seven feet tall greeted me,” she recalls, “and took a moment to laugh in my face. I turned around, dejected, and was about to cry when he called me back in. He asked if I knew anything about football! Carmine Mazza is his name. He told me that he didn’t need a barback, but that he would teach me how to bartend. ‘Show up next Sunday,” he said.
FALLING FAST INGREDIENTS
1 ½ oz. Angel’s Envy Bourbon ¾ oz. lemon juice ¼ oz. St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur ¼ oz. demerara syrup (2:1) Barspoon St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram 2 dashes Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters Rosemary sprig (for garnish) PREPARATION
Combine ingredients in rocks glass with one large ice cube. Garnish with lemon peel and thyme sprig.